St Aidan`s War MemorialPrint Page

The stained glass window commemorates 16 men of the Claremont Presbyterian Church who died in service or were killed in action in World War One. It remained in its original situation in the south end wall until re-located to the east wall in the early 1980s, when the timber Honour Boards commemorating both World Wars were removed from the Church.

The Claremont Presbyterian Church adopted the name St Aidan`s in the 1930s.  In 1977, a union of the Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian churches in Australia saw St Aidan’s join with the Claremont Congregational and Methodist congregations as a parish of the Uniting Church. 

The window was designed by George Pitt-Morrison (1861-1946), Curator of the Western Australian Art Gallery, who was Session Clerk at Claremont Presbyterian Church. He described his proposed design and its symbolism as follows: At the foot is inscribed the names of the sixteen members who died (1914-1918). Above this inscription are the Greek letters “alpha and Omega”, symbolical of Jesus Christ.

Over these symbols is the representation of a rough, craggy mountain top, symbolical of difficulties to be overcome, surmounted by dark and lowering clouds, from which burst forth the Sun in a radiance of glory. In the midst of this glory is depicted “Stephanos” the victor’s laurel crown, above which is inscribed “To Him who overcometh”. Above this design is placed the “Burning Bush” the symbol of the Presbyterian Church, and at the apex is placed the “Bright and Morning Star”. Minor changes were made to the proposed design, the inscription being altered to read ‘To Him that overcometh’, and a second inscription was included, ‘Nec Consumebatur Tamen’, beneath the burning bush.

Special services of unusual interest will be conducted at the Claremont Presbyterian Church tomorrow. At the morning service a stained glass window will be unveiled in memory of 16 members of the congregation who died on active service during the war, and also a permanent honour board containing the names of 73 who enlisted. The celebrations will be continued in the evening in the form of a thanksgiving service at which special music will be rendered by the choir. 
West Australian (Perth), 24 April 1920.

Note : Judith Amey published a book in February 2017 titled “The Men in the Window” which tells the stories of these 16 men.
 

Location

Details

Dedication